Systems and methods for acquiring an internet protocol network address of a user equipment in networks

Abstract

A device may determine that an application server requires an IPv6 address of a user equipment, and may provide, to another network device, a request for the IPv6 address of the user equipment, wherein the request includes data identifying an IP address of the network device and a port of the network device, and wherein the request is to cause the other network device to provide the request for the IPv6 address to the user equipment via a SMS request message, and receive, from the user equipment, data identifying the IPv6 address and a port of the user equipment via a SMS response message. The network device may receive, from the other network device, a response that includes the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment, and may store the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 determining, by a network device of a network, that an application server requires an Internet protocol (IP) version six (IPv6) address of a user equipment associated with the network; 
 providing, by the network device and to another network device of the network, a request, including an IP address of the network device, and a port of the network device, for the IPv6 address of the user equipment,
 the request, causing the other network device to:
 provide the request for the IPv6 address to the user equipment via a short message service (SMS) request message, and 
 receive, from the user equipment, data identifying the IPv6 address and a port of the user equipment via a SMS response message; 
 
 
 receiving, by the network device, from the other network device, and based on the request, a response that includes the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment; and 
 storing, by the network device, the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the application server, data destined for the user equipment; 
 generating a packet based on receiving the data destined for the user equipment,
 wherein the packet includes data identifying:
 the IP address of the network device as a source IP address, 
 the port of the network device as a source port, 
 the IPv6 address of the user equipment as a destination IP address, 
 the port of the user equipment as a destination port, and 
 the data destined for the user equipment; and 
 
 
 causing the packet to be forwarded to the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network device includes a service capability exposure function or a network exposure function and the other network device includes a mobility management entity or an access and mobility management function. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing, to the application server, a report that includes the data identifying the IPv6address and the port of the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request is to cause the user equipment to assign the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment on behalf of the application server. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request is to cause the user equipment to store the IP address and the port of the network device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the application server requires the IPv6 address of the user equipment comprises:
 receiving account session information associated with creation of a session for the user equipment; and 
 determining that the application server requires the IPv6 address of the user equipment based on the receiving the account session information. 
 
     
     
       8. A network device, comprising:
 one or more processors configured to:
 receive, from another network device of a network, a connection management request to create a non-Internet protocol (IP) packet data network session associated with a user equipment of the network; 
 determine that an application server requires an Internet protocol (IP) version six (IPv6) address of the user equipment based on receiving the connection management request; 
 provide, to the other network device, a connection management answer in response to the connection management request,
 wherein the connection management answer includes data identifying:
 an IP address of the network device, and 
 a port of the network device, 
 
 wherein the connection management answer is to cause the other network device to:
 provide the data identifying the IP address and the port of the network device to the user equipment via a user equipment attach accepted message, and 
 receive, from the user equipment, data identifying the IPv6 address and a port of the user equipment; 
 
 
 receive, from the other network device and based on the connection management answer, a response that includes the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment; and 
 store the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive, from the application server, data destined for the user equipment; 
 generate a packet based on receiving the data destined for the user equipment,
 wherein the packet includes data identifying:
 the IP address of the network device as a source IP address, 
 the port of the network device as a source port, 
 the IPv6 address of the user equipment as a destination IP address, 
 the port of the user equipment as a destination port, and 
 the data destined for the user equipment; and 
 
 
 cause the packet to be forwarded to the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       10. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the network device includes a service capability exposure function and the other network device includes a mobility management entity. 
     
     
       11. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 provide, to the application server, a report that includes the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       12. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the connection management answer is to cause the user equipment to assign the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment for traffic received from the application server. 
     
     
       13. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the connection management answer is to cause the user equipment to store the data identifying the IP address and the port of the network device as destination information for traffic to be provided to the application server. 
     
     
       14. The network device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors, when receiving the connection management request to create the non-IP packet data network session associated with the user equipment, are configured to:
 receive the connection management request to create the non-IP packet data network session associated with the user equipment based on a request for the non-IP packet data network session generated by the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device of a network, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from a user equipment associated with the network, an Internet protocol (IP) test packet request,
 wherein the IP test packet request includes data identifying:
 an IP version six (IPv6) address of the user equipment as a source IP address, 
 a port of the user equipment as a source port, 
 an IP address of the network device as a destination IP address, 
 a port of the network device as a destination port, and 
 a payload that includes a request for acknowledgment of the IP test packet request; 
 
 
 store the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment; 
 generate an IP test packet response based on the IP test packet request,
 wherein the IP test packet response includes data identifying:
 the IP address of the network device as a source IP address, 
 another port of the network device as a source port, 
 the IPv6 address of the user equipment as a destination IP address, 
 the port of the user equipment as a destination port, and 
 a payload that includes an acknowledgment for the IP test packet request; and 
 
 
 provide the IP test packet response to the user equipment. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from an application server, data destined for the user equipment; 
 generate a packet based on receiving the data destined for the user equipment,
 wherein the packet includes data identifying:
 the IP address of the network device as a source IP address, 
 the other port of the network device as a source port, 
 the IPv6 address of the user equipment as a destination IP address, 
 the port of the user equipment as a destination port, and 
 the data destined for the user equipment; and 
 
 
 cause the packet to be forwarded to the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from the user equipment, a packet with data destined for an application server,
 wherein the packet includes data identifying:
 the IPv6 address of the user equipment as a source IP address, 
 the port of the user equipment as a source port, 
 the IP address of the network device as a destination IP address, 
 the other port of the network device as a destination port, and 
 the data destined for the application server; and 
 
 
 cause the packet to be forwarded to the application server. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 provide, to an application server, a report that includes the data identifying the IPv6 address and the port of the user equipment. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the network device includes a service capability exposure function. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the IP test packet request is received from the user equipment based on a fully qualified domain name associated with the network device.